Hot Topic: Charles Esten and Sam Palladio of 'Nashville'

The initial trailers and advertisements for ABC's breakout fall drama Nashville posited the show squarely around the catty drama between the show's female leads: Connie Britton's past-her-prime country singer, Rayna Jaymes, and Hayden Panettiere's young, conniving starlet, Juliette Barnes. But then viewers started tuning in. And it became readily apparent that the show also was stocked with top-notch male talent, including seasoned actor Charles "Chip" Esten and English young buck Sam Palladio, who both shine respectively as easily-seduced guitarist Deacon Claybourne and musician/bar rat, Gunnar Scott. Tonight marks the show's winter finale—that is, before it resumes again on January 9—so ELLE.com rang up Esten and Palladio to talk about their hit series, being perceived as sex symbols, and getting frisky onscreen with younger ladies.

Name: Charles "Chip" Esten

Age: 47

Provenance: Hollywood, CA

Relationship Status: Married

On having been around the block: "I love playing a character who has some wisdom. It's nice to sit back in this great role [based around] somebody who has a little age on him and a little experience. All I ever wanted to do was good stuff. And this is the very definition of that."

On combining his love of music and acting for Nashville: "I had been in a band in college. You kind of need to make a choice between going the music route or going the acting route. I chose acting, figuring I could always do the music on my own. But in the last five years, I started to really miss it. So while I was doing all the acting, I started focusing on music a lot more. I guess something happens when you do that; something clicks. Getting to do both is definitely a dream."

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On hooking up onscreen with his 23-year-old co-star Hayden Panettiere: "I get why some people think 'Boy, that's just wrong.' But in a sense that's what we're saying. These are two people that are just broken. They're both trying to find happiness in ways that probably won't get them there. I love the scenes with Hayden, because our characters are really honest with each other. We don't beat around the bush. And she's such a great actress."

On being viewed as a sex symbol: "It's unusual to try to process that. When you're perceived this way or that way, it really feels out of your hands. There are some roles in which you're not thought of that way and then there are others—like Deacon—and [the audience] sees it in you. Callie [Khouri] just knows how to write these roles. And she's written just a real gem [in Deacon]. The whole thing feels like this gorgeous car that I get to ride down Main Street. And everybody goes 'Oh, what a great driver.'"

Name: Sam Palladio

Age: 26

Provenance: Cornwall, England

Relationship Status: Single

On Gunnar's participation in a "love square": "Well you know relationships are never easy. We all find ourselves in situations—you think you want one thing and then [another] walks through your gaze and you go, 'No, I'm pretty happy with what I've got…oh my God, look at that over there!' There's a lot of confusion, certainly for Gunnar. It's clear from the top that he's got a very soft spot for Scarlett. But it's not easy."

On his new heartthrob status: "I don't know about sex symbol. It's sort of hard for me to grasp or to get my head around that. Lots of 'Will you marry me?' tweets. I've always tried to stray towards characters who are way more faceted than your standard leading man role, and I've been fortunate to play some parts who have this awkward tension to them. I think Gunnar is really coming into his own. He's one of the underdogs, which for an audience, is always great to watch."

On having a Southern accent for Nashville: "I had great training. At my [drama] school [in London], accent work was a big part of the curriculum. And that's something that I actually sort of flourish in and really enjoy. It helps to have a good ear and a musician's ear for listening. I like to sit and listen to conversations here in Nashville. Not in a weird stalker-ish way. I wander around Tennessee and find myself in little bars just zoning in."

On learning from Justin Timberlake while shooting the upcoming film Runner, Runner: "I've got a lot of respect for Justin. He's proven himself in so many fields. A lot of people still think, 'Oh, this is a pop star trying to be an actor now.' But having worked a lot with him on Runner, Runner, seeing his approach to his character Richie and his commitment to the acting role, was fantastic. And it made me realize you really can, if you have enough talent like that man does, balance everything. It gave me the confidence to say, 'I'm going to act, but my music doesn't have to go by the wayside and be swept under the covers.' This man is a testament to really milking the industry for all it's worth because of his talent. It made me think, 'Yeah, I can do this too.' Although maybe I don't have his moves."